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If you have chosen a special building for the entire wedding day, consider planning a short social hour intermission between the ceremony and reception. A 20-minute cocktail break in a lobby, or back of the room where the reception is held, will allow guests to visit and enjoy a beverage. Consider making a few visuals for them to browse including photo display boards, a video photo slide show or scrapbooks. This is also a chance for guests to use the restroom, go outside to smoke, or get things out of the car, such as wedding gifts.
Set up the room with the dinner tables to the back and sides of the seated guest area. During the break, move the chairs that were used as seating for the ceremony to the tables, and allow that space to serve as a dance floor. - If both the ceremony and reception are held outdoors, consider using a fabric screen behind the couple in the altar area. Make sure it is long enough to hide the dinner tables behind the screen. Set the head table just behind the screen, so after the ceremony, guests can flow to the tabled area, and the fabric still serves as a decorative backdrop behind the wedding party.
- Being married in a place of worship is traditional for many faiths; however, in many cases it is not mandatory to rent a separate hall for the reception. Check to see if the church offers use of a community room or a dining hall. Usually located in the basement, or in a separate addition to the building, these rooms make it easy to host the ceremony and reception at the same venue. Set up the reception room within the church just as you would for an off site reception.
